Catapult Film Fund

Catapult Film Fund provides development funding to documentary filmmakers who have a compelling story to tell, have secured access to their story and are ready to shoot and edit a piece for production fundraising purposes. Our mission is to enable filmmakers to develop their film projects to the next level at a moment where funding is hard to find.

We support powerful stories, and moving storytelling, across a broad spectrum of issues and perspectives.

Creative, artful, compelling and innovative storytelling techniques
Strong story narrative at the core of the film
A unique perspective or approach; use of humor a plus
Contemporary relevance
Feasibility of the project with respect to its budget, financing, schedule and scope
Demonstrated ability of the creative team to have implemented previous projects
Grant amount should have significant impact on development stage of the project
Emphasis on the story not the lesson or agenda of the filmmaker
Filmmaker must demonstrate credible access and rapport with the proposed subject(s) of the story.
Originality of form, approach or content
Potential of the project to generate public discourse and social engagement

GUIDELINES

Catapult Film Fund development grants range from $5000 to $20,000.
Catapult accepts applicants who can arrange to have a US 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor.
Applicants may submit only one project per funding cycle.
Previous grant awardees must wait two cycles before applying for new development funds.
Catapult may contact the applicant with questions about the proposal.
Grantees must submit two financial reports during the course of the grant period: an interim report, which will accompany a narrative report; and a final financial report to be submitted once the grant is complete.
Grantees must submit at the end of the grant period an edited piece that can be used for production fundraising.
Catapult Film Fund support must be acknowledged with a tag line and logo–of similar size and stature to other logos in the credits–at the end credits of the film as well as on all publicity and promotional materials relating to the production.
Catapult will not return DVDs to applicants.